Compare unconditional positive regard and conditional positive regard by elaborating on three differences

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANS: Unconditional positive regard is the approval granted regardless of a person's behavior. In the case of an infant, if positive regard for the infant persists despite the infant's undesirable behaviors, this is unconditional positive regard. On the other hand, conditional positive regard is the approval, love, or acceptance granted only when a person expresses desirable behaviors and attitudes. Parents may not react to everything their infant does with positive regard.
Unconditional positive regard is not conditional or dependent on the child's behavior. However, when positive regard is conditional, infants learn that parental affection has a price; it depends on behaving in certain acceptable ways.
Children who receive unconditional positive regard do not have to internalize any conditions of worth. Therefore, their perceptions of life are not distorted and they are open to new experiences because nothing threatens their self-concept. However, children who receive conditional positive regard develop conditions of worth. External standards of judgment become internal and personal. They come to believe they are worthy only under certain conditions, the ones that brought parental positive regard and then personal positive self-regard. Children thus learn to avoid certain behaviors and no longer function freely. Because they feel the need to evaluate their behaviors and attitudes so carefully, and refrain from taking certain actions, they are prevented from fully developing or actualizing the self.